Somehow We Can – 11 String Quartets

Curated by Ethan Braun – composer and long-time artistic partner of the ensemble – the project brings together twelve composers and as many performers who together demonstrate the flexibility and relevance of this genre. They present the string quartet as a vibrant, complex network of relationships, a collective expression of art and society.


With a keen sense for sonic diversity, cultural contexts, and musical individuality, twelve pieces have been compiled that explore the string quartet not only in terms of content but also in terms of form.


The compositions range from deconstruction and improvisation to intensive sound exploration and poetic intimacy. Some of these works will be performed in Europe for the first time. The program also gives voices to voices that are often marginalized in the canon of contemporary music, such as those of BiPoC and LGBTQ+ composers. They create a musical fabric that doesn't smooth over difference, but rather makes it productively audible and invites the audience to a multi-voiced, shared experience.


Alvin Singleton's "Somehow We Can," which gives the program its title, Yuri Umemoto's "Fluffy Pink!", and Sarah Davachi's "Icon Studies II" exemplify the quartet evening:


Singleton is one of the most distinguished African-American composers, whose music has rarely been performed in Europe. In his quartet, he focuses on the simultaneity and coexistence of different themes without forcing them into a linear development—a plea for the coexistence of difference.


Yuri Umemoto, a young composer from Japan, brings a radically different perspective to the program with "Fluffy Pink!": playful, exaggerated, inspired by the aesthetics of anime and otaku culture. Umemoto transforms the string quartet into a multi-armed, octopus-like figure that oscillates between virtuoso technique and pop-cultural references—a fascinating break with classical listening habits.


Sarah Davachi's "Icon Studies II," on the other hand, transforms microtonal nuances into monumental sound structures that challenge the perception of time and space, creating a unique, dense soundscape.